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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: cell · root · wound · bore · mate · craft · mouse · saw

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mate — a partner
  9. root — the cause
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. root — of a word
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cell — a phone
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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