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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tear — to rip
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. root — of a word
  8. tear — from crying
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pop — music
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pop — soda
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mug — to rob
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mate — a partner
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — a leader
  24. degree — an amount

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