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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · lean · ball · game · chair · drill · content · bore

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. content — the amount
  6. drill — the tool
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. lean — to bend
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lean — thin
  14. root — of a plant
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. game — a match
  24. drill — army training

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