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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. root — the cause
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cap — of ice
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. root — of a word
  18. kick — in football
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rock — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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