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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: game · bore · bark · dip · bay · root · pit · spring

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bore — to drill
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. spring — of water
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. spring — a coil
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. root — of a word
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. game — a match
  17. spring — the season
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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