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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. club — a group
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. club — for dancing
  7. prune — to trim
  8. root — of a word
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. prune — to trim
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. scale — in music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lie — to recline
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mark — to pay attention

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