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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a word
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. staff — employees
  6. cue — for pool
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. prune — to trim
  10. staff — a stick
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rock — a stone
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rock — music
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fall — the season
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fall — to drop

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