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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. drill — a practice
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitch — completely
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cold — not warm
  19. root — the cause
  20. snap — to click
  21. drill — army training
  22. cold — an illness
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. drill — the tool

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