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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — the cause
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rash — a series
  10. hand — help
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — of a word
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rash — hasty
  19. firm — steady
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bat — the animal
  24. firm — a company

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