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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. root — the cause
  3. pop — soda
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pop — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bass — the fish
  8. root — of a word
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bass — low music
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. pop — to visit

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