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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a partner
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. root — of a plant
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spring — of water
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. march — music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. march — the month
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — to breed
  20. date — the fruit
  21. spring — the season
  22. object — a thing
  23. march — the month
  24. date — on the calendar

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