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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
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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: bat · root · sharp · mug · pop · jam · can · nail

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pop — soda
  4. bat — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. root — the cause
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pop — music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. root — of a word
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pop — to visit
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. can — to be able to
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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