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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — clever
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. root — of a word
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. toast — bread
  11. club — a group
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. root — of a plant
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mine — belonging to me

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