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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · mate · rash · root · bark · mug · ball · scale

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pop — soda
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pop — to visit
  7. root — of a word
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — the cause
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a dance
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mate — a friend
  19. scale — in music
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pop — music

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