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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a great time
  3. root — the cause
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. root — of a word
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bass — low music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bark — to shout
  24. snap — to click

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