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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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 — the cause
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mark — a grade
  6. root — of a plant
  7. field — a subject
  8. spring — the season
  9. ground — crushed
  10. spring — of water
  11. root — of a word
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. field — for sport
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. spring — a coil
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  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