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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mate — a partner
  6. last — finally
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rash — hasty
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — the tool
  14. last — final
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — to breed
  17. rash — a series
  18. can — a tin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mate — a friend
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. scale — size or range
  23. last — to go on
  24. rash — on the skin

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