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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. club — for golf
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bass — the fish
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. band — a music group
  12. club — a group
  13. row — a line
  14. club — for dancing
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — to breed
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mate — a partner
  23. band — a ring
  24. prune — to trim

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