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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. root — the cause
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. land — to come down
  7. ball — a great time
  8. land — a country
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. squash — to crush
  19. land — ground
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. root — of a word

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