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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rock — a stone
  6. root — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — completely
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. root — of a word
  15. squash — to crush
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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