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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.

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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: mark · racket · bore · date · pit · root · stick · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. root — of a word
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — in a race
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — a grade
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bore — gave birth

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