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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: calf · key · track · bound · root · field · snap · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — a path
  5. root — the cause
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bore — to drill
  9. key — in music
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bound — obliged
  12. field — farmland
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. root — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. track — a song
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. root — of a word
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. field — a subject

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