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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pit — a hole
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pit — in a race
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — a path
  24. roll — a cake

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