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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. root — of a plant
  4. firm — steady
  5. present — there
  6. root — of a word
  7. rush — hurry
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bass — low music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. craft — a skill
  15. firm — decided
  16. root — the cause
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bass — the fish
  20. tube — a container
  21. present — a gift
  22. firm — a company
  23. present — the time now
  24. rush — a thrill

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