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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. root — of a word
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cap — of ice
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. hand — help
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lean — to bend

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