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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — farmland
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. root — the cause
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a plant
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. mate — a friend

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