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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. cap — a hat
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — of a plant
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. roll — a cake
  12. root — the cause
  13. pop — soda
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pop — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rash — a series
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. roll — a list
  23. bound — certain
  24. cap — a lid

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