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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — of a plant
  6. court — of a king
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. root — the cause
  14. swing — music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. swing — to play on

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