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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — of a plant
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. net — in sport
  7. present — there
  8. bass — low music
  9. root — of a word
  10. present — the time now
  11. pit — in a race
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. object — a thing
  15. club — for dancing
  16. net — after costs
  17. object — to protest
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. present — a gift
  22. object — an aim
  23. pit — a hole
  24. root — the cause

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