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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mug — a face
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rock — music
  10. cell — in biology
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cell — a phone
  24. root — of a word

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