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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mark — a trace
  3. root — the cause
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. hand — in cards
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. club — a group
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lie — to recline
  20. root — of a word
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. club — for golf
  23. mark — a grade
  24. club — for dancing

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