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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. spring — of water
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — a cup
  11. spring — the season
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hand — help
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. hand — in cards
  22. root — of a word
  23. deal — to handle
  24. sharp — clever

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