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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. band — a music group
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rash — hasty
  6. tube — a container
  7. root — of a word
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rash — a series
  13. staff — employees
  14. tube — the underground
  15. band — a ring
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. root — of a plant
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. staff — a stick

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