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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 120 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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mug — a face
  3. root — the cause
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. root — of a word
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bass — low music
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mug — to rob
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. season — in sport
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lie — to recline
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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