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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. object — an aim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — music
  5. rash — a series
  6. pop — soda
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. object — a thing
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. object — to protest
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. face — to confront
  18. fork — in a road
  19. root — of a plant
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — a break
  24. rash — hasty

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