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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cue — a hint
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. roll — a list
  11. face — to confront
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — a signal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wake — a trail
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. face — to point toward
  18. root — the cause
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cue — for pool
  23. root — of a word
  24. bowl — a dish

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