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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: bore · pass · can · craft · root · foot · bear · mine

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — boats
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. root — the cause
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mine — for digging
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pass — a permit
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. root — of a word
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. root — of a plant

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