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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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a word
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wind — moving air
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. straw — a straw man

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