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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ground — a position
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spell — letters
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spell — magic
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ground — crushed
  10. key — the most important part
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. key — in music
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. key — for a lock
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ground — the earth

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