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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. prune — to trim
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ground — the earth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ground — a position
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — the cause
  15. rock — a stone
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. root — of a word
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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