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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pop — soda
  4. clip — a video
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — a container
  7. pop — to visit
  8. root — the cause
  9. ground — a position
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. clip — for paper
  13. ground — the earth
  14. root — of a word
  15. clip — to cut
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — music
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mate — a partner

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