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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. club — for golf
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pop — music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. craft — boats
  16. bat — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bound — certain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — to get on
  23. pop — soda
  24. craft — a skill

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