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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · temple · bore · mug · row · saw · firm · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — to tire
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. firm — decided
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — to drill
  18. row — to paddle
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. root — of a word
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com