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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. ground — crushed
  3. root — the cause
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ground — a position
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — for a lock
  10. sharp — clever
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — in music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — to paddle
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. root — of a word
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. row — a line

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