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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 116 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — of a plant
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. root — the cause
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. clip — a video
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pitch — completely
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — a container
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. root — of a word
  24. squash — the sport

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