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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. toast — bread
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — a break
  11. march — music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mug — to rob
  16. march — the month
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mug — a face
  22. march — the month
  23. root — the cause
  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