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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 · bound · tear · kick · bark · straw · bore · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bore — to tire
  3. root — the cause
  4. tear — from crying
  5. track — a path
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bound — tied together
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — of a plant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bound — certain
  14. root — of a word
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. kick — in football
  23. tear — from crying
  24. straw — a straw man

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