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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — to be able to
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. race — a contest
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. root — the cause
  12. race — humankind
  13. ground — crushed
  14. root — of a word
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. row — to paddle
  18. can — a tin
  19. row — a line
  20. cue — a hint
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — a tin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cue — a signal

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