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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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Word bank
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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rest — a break
  7. root — the cause
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. file — a document
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. root — of a plant
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bat — the animal
  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