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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mug — a face
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pit — a hole
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. squash — the sport
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mug — to rob

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