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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bound — tied together
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pop — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. drill — the tool

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