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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. root — of a word
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ground — a position
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pop — to visit
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ground — crushed
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pop — music
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ground — the earth

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