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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 address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mate — a friend
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. band — a music group
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. tube — a container
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mate — a partner
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mark — a trace
  19. band — a ring
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mate — to breed
  24. tube — the underground

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