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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — high quality
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bass — low music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. root — of a word
  17. rest — what's left
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. band — a ring
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — hurry
  22. band — a music group
  23. rest — a break
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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