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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — of a plant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rest — a break
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. file — a tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. scale — size or range
  14. file — a document
  15. swing — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — of a word
  18. scale — in 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