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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. swing — in golf
  3. root — of a word
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. club — for dancing
  8. roll — a list
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spring — the season
  11. swing — music
  12. spring — of water
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — for betting
  19. spring — a coil
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a great time

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