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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. root — of a word
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. root — the cause
  9. rush — hurry
  10. staff — a stick
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. staff — employees
  14. cue — for pool
  15. staff — employees
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — a hint
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pitcher — a jug

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