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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: bore · tear · land · lie · degree · board · rash · root

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rash — hasty
  4. lie — to recline
  5. land — ground
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. land — a country
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. tear — from crying
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. degree — from a university
  14. root — the cause
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rash — a series
  17. degree — an amount
  18. tear — from crying
  19. board — a committee
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. land — to come down

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