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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ball — a dance
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wound — an injury
  8. root — of a word
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cap — a hat
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fine — all right
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wound — an injury
  23. plane — a tool
  24. root — the cause

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