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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. squash — the sport
  3. foot — a measure
  4. root — of a plant
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. root — the cause
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ground — a position
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ground — the earth
  18. root — of a word
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. drill — army training
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. drill — the tool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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