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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. root — the cause
  4. roll — a list
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. staff — a stick
  11. scale — size or range
  12. root — of a word
  13. kick — in football
  14. mine — for digging
  15. staff — employees
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. shower — rain
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. staff — employees
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. roll — a cake

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