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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. land — a country
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ball — a dance
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — in music
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ball — a round shape

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