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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — the cause
  4. file — a document
  5. club — for golf
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — music
  8. club — a group
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ground — the earth
  13. current — happening now
  14. root — of a word
  15. current — electric
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pop — soda
  18. ground — a position
  19. file — a tool
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ball — a great time
  22. file — a line of people
  23. current — of water
  24. club — for dancing

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