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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. root — of a word
  4. firm — decided
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — a company
  12. root — the cause
  13. hand — in cards
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lie — to recline
  17. firm — steady
  18. lie — an untruth

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