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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: craft · bat · root · bore · press · fan · drill · plane

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. press — newspapers
  5. root — the cause
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — a publisher
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. root — of a plant
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. root — of a word
  19. drill — army training
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. press — to push
  24. craft — a skill

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