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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. squash — the sport
  4. club — a group
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cue — a hint
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. club — for golf
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. root — the cause
  16. squash — to crush
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. band — a music group
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a ring

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