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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spell — magic
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for golf
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pit — a hole
  12. club — a group
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pit — in a race
  18. club — for dancing
  19. capital — money
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. root — the cause
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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