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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 116 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: dip · root · coach · firm · snap · land · fine · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. root — of a plant
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. root — the cause
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — decided
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. dip — to sink
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. root — of a word
  18. firm — a company
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. bore — to drill
  22. firm — steady
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bore — to tire

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