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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — of water
  11. scale — in music
  12. stock — shares
  13. rest — a break
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — to tire
  18. root — of a word
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — goods
  24. spring — a coil

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