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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 116 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 · root · mine · pit · staff · charge · bark · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mine — for digging
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. root — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. staff — employees
  15. charge — in control
  16. staff — employees
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — a price
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. bark — to shout
  22. staff — a stick
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mine — belonging to me

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