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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. toast — bread
  4. band — a ring
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — clothes
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. can — to be able to
  18. scale — size or range
  19. root — of a plant
  20. suit — to fit
  21. band — a music group
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — clever
  24. scale — in music

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