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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — of a word
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. root — of a plant
  7. content — the amount
  8. spring — a coil
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. spring — of water
  11. content — happy
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — help
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spring — the season
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — a measure

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