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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pop — music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. court — of law
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. root — of a word
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rock — a stone
  14. court — of a king
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. root — the cause
  19. rock — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pass — a permit
  22. court — for sport
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pop — soda

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