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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wind — moving air
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — in football
  6. swing — music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. root — of a word
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. root — the cause
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. suit — to fit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. swing — to play on
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. wake — a trail
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wind — moving air
  24. date — the fruit

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