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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: bark · foot · bore · staff · root · mate · spell · patient

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a word
  4. bark — to shout
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. staff — a stick
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — a friend
  10. staff — employees
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spell — a short time
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — the cause
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. spell — letters
  20. mate — a partner
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mate — to breed
  23. foot — a measure
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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