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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: root · calf · bore · band · suit · squash · bear · game

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. game — a match
  3. bore — to drill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a word
  9. bore — to tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. root — the cause
  21. band — a music group
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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