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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — music
  3. drill — army training
  4. root — of a plant
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pop — soda
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ground — crushed
  13. root — the cause
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rock — a stone
  21. drill — a practice
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ground — a position

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