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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 · bore · clip · safe · toast · board · foot · shower

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bore — to tire
  3. clip — for paper
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. shower — to wash
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. root — of a plant
  8. toast — bread
  9. foot — a measure
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. root — of a word
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — to drill
  17. shower — rain
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. clip — a video
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. clip — to cut

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