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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. root — the cause
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — a group
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. last — final
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. root — of a word
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. last — finally
  21. club — for golf
  22. squash — to crush
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ball — a great time

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