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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ground — a position
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ground — crushed
  5. root — of a word
  6. march — the month
  7. staff — employees
  8. march — the month
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mine — for digging
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — music
  16. march — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rock — a stone
  22. root — the cause
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. staff — a stick

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