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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — to rob
  15. squash — to crush
  16. root — the cause
  17. squash — the sport
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cap — a lid
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — the vegetable

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