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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — to rob
  3. root — of a word
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bass — low music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — a face
  9. spell — a short time
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — the fish
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. spell — magic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — a cup
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — the cause
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pitch — completely

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