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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rock — music
  8. pit — in a race
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pitch — completely
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — magic
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pop — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. root — of a word
  23. pop — soda
  24. pit — a hole

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