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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cue — a hint
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pop — soda
  5. mark — a grade
  6. object — a thing
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a trace
  11. root — of a plant
  12. object — an aim
  13. root — the cause
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pop — to visit
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. object — to protest
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pop — music
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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