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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. foot — a measure
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rush — hurry
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. root — of a word
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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