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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — the cause
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. club — for golf
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. root — of a word
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pop — to visit
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. game — a match
  21. root — of a plant
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — a group
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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