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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. root — of a plant
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — in football
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — the cause
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. track — a path
  24. root — of a word

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