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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pop — soda
  8. shower — rain
  9. file — a line of people
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. root — the cause
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — music
  19. file — a document
  20. cue — a hint
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pop — to visit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. safe — out of danger

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