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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 120 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: bay · bound · current · bore · cabinet · root · club · drill

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. club — a group
  3. current — electric
  4. root — of a plant
  5. drill — army training
  6. bound — certain
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — tied together
  10. current — of water
  11. root — of a word
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. club — for golf
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — to tire
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — obliged
  24. root — the cause

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