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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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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: present · bore · chair · root · bear · mark · fork · fine

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — there
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mark — a grade
  12. present — the time now
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. fine — all right
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. present — a gift

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