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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — a weight
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. squash — to crush
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pound — to hit hard

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