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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — goods
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — a hint
  13. root — the cause
  14. race — the arms race
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. race — a contest
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — humankind
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — letters
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  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