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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mug — a cup
  7. root — the cause
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. game — a match
  13. pop — soda
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — to visit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — of a word
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — completely

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