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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. roll — a list
  6. root — the cause
  7. ball — a great time
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. cue — a signal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ball — a dance
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. toast — bread
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. patient — a sick person

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