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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fork — in a road
  17. shower — to wash
  18. root — the cause
  19. cue — a signal
  20. shower — rain
  21. field — a subject
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mug — a face
  24. field — farmland

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