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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. root — of a plant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. suit — clothes
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wake — a trail
  11. root — of a word
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. date — the fruit
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. saw — the tool
  18. date — on the calendar

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