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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: field · bore · chip · foot · bound · mouse · cell · root

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to drill
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. root — of a word
  10. field — farmland
  11. bound — certain
  12. field — for sport
  13. bound — tied together
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. foot — a measure
  20. field — a subject
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. root — the cause
  24. bore — gave birth

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