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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — a cup
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a face
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bark — to shout
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. prune — to trim
  23. root — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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