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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. squash — to crush
  4. lean — to bend
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lean — thin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — in a race
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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