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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pitch — completely
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. root — of a word
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. game — a match
  11. pop — soda
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. root — the cause
  16. pop — to visit
  17. spring — a coil
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. game — wild animals
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spring — of water

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