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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rule — a law
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rule — government
  18. jam — a tight spot

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