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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. root — the cause
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. root — of a word
  5. cue — for pool
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — a container
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. squash — to crush
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — to get on
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tube — the underground
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — a signal
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mark — a trace
  24. hand — in cards

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