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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. spell — a short time
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. root — the cause
  7. firm — decided
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. root — of a word
  11. ground — the earth
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. firm — steady
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — letters
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. firm — a company
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spell — magic

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