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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. root — the cause
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. squash — the sport
  9. root — of a word
  10. pop — music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. squash — to crush
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pop — soda
  24. squash — the vegetable

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