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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. root — the cause
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mug — to rob
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. root — of a word
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — army training
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mug — a face
  19. suit — clothes
  20. game — a match
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. drill — the tool
  24. root — of a plant

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