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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. root — the cause
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. spell — magic
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cue — for pool
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. roll — a list
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. swing — to play on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. roll — a cake
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cue — a hint
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. vault — a safe
  21. spell — letters
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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