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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bound — tied together
  12. root — the cause
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bound — obliged
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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