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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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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 · pitcher · trunk · saw · plane · nail · bore · ball

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a dance
  7. root — of a plant
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. nail — on a finger

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