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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: bore · drill · mark · object · bulb · cabinet · root · court

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. root — of a word
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — an aim
  14. bore — to drill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mark — a trace
  17. court — of law
  18. mark — a grade
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — the cause
  22. drill — the tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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