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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: root · mouse · plane · bore · leaves · pound · dip · court

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bore — to tire
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pound — a weight
  6. court — of law
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. court — of a king
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. plane — in geometry

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