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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 116 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. race — the arms race
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. spring — of water
  11. race — a contest
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. charge — in control
  17. race — humankind
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cue — a signal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. spring — the season
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wake — a trail

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