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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.

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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 · can · track · chip · bore · present · club · tear

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. club — for golf
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — for betting
  5. present — a gift
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. chip — to eat
  9. present — the time now
  10. track — a song
  11. present — there
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bore — to drill
  15. can — to be able to
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. club — a group
  19. bore — to tire
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a plant
  24. chip — in a computer

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