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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rock — a stone
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rock — music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. root — of a word
  24. fan — to cool the air

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