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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 120 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. file — a document
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cue — for pool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — a hint
  22. root — of a plant
  23. file — a tool
  24. cue — a signal

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