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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 116 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: pitcher · dip · root · bulb · staff · drill · bore · face

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bore — to drill
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bore — to tire
  10. root — the cause
  11. drill — a practice
  12. root — of a word
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. staff — a stick
  16. drill — army training
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. face — to point toward
  21. staff — employees
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. staff — employees

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