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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. net — after costs
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fine — all right
  9. net — in sport
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. root — of a word
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fine — high quality
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — for catching
  18. coach — a trainer

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