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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ball — a great time
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — bread
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mark — a trace

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