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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — there
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. root — of a word
  5. ball — a dance
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ball — a great time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — a gift
  12. root — of a plant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. foot — a measure
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. present — the time now

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