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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pop — to visit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — music
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pop — soda
  10. rest — what's left
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. root — the cause
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pit — a hole
  18. board — to get on
  19. rest — a break
  20. pit — in a race
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — of a word
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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