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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. root — of a word
  9. bass — low music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mark — a trace
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — the cause
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. swing — in golf

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