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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 120 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: bore · mug · fine · kid · fork · perch · root · hand

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hand — help
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kid — child
  10. hand — in cards
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. fork — in a road
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. root — of a word

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