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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. plane — a tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. club — a group
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. root — of a word
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. root — the cause

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