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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: spring · cap · bay · root · pit · rush · row · bore

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — a coil
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cap — of ice
  6. row — a line
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. root — of a word
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pit — in a race
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. root — the cause
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spring — of water
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cap — a hat

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