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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. deal — to handle
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rest — what's left
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rest — a break
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cell — a phone
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. club — a group
  24. dip — to sink

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