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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. prune — to trim
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mug — a face
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pitch — completely
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mug — a cup
  18. root — the cause
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. suit — clothes
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — of a word

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