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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 120 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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — for pool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. root — the cause
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. root — of a plant
  10. firm — steady
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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