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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fine — a penalty

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