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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. swing — in golf
  3. root — the cause
  4. hand — help
  5. fork — in a road
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stand — to bear
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. root — of a word
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — of a plant
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lean — to bend

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