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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — in music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. land — to come down
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mark — a trace
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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