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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: court · bore · mouse · spell · present · bass · root · board

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — a gift
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. court — for sport
  7. root — of a word
  8. board — a committee
  9. bass — the fish
  10. root — of a plant
  11. present — the time now
  12. court — of law
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bass — low music
  15. spell — magic
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. spell — letters
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. present — there
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. court — of a king
  24. board — to get on

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