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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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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: root · mine · firm · pit · wake · jam · deal · spring

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. mine — for digging
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — a company
  11. root — the cause
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. deal — to handle
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. spring — of water
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. root — of a word

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