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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pop — music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wind — moving air
  15. root — the cause
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — a stick
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. saw — the tool
  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