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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rash — a series
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rash — hasty
  21. saw — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rest — what's left

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