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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spell — a short time
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — of a plant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — magic
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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