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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cue — a hint
  4. root — the cause
  5. roll — a list
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. race — a contest
  11. root — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cue — a signal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. race — the arms race
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pass — to succeed

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