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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — crushed
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — in cards
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ground — a position
  8. root — the cause
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. spring — of water
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rest — a break
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. spring — the season
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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