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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. spell — letters
  3. ground — a position
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — a list
  6. ground — the earth
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — a short time
  9. root — the cause
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ground — crushed
  14. spell — magic
  15. tube — a container
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. tube — the underground
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. pound — a weight
  22. roll — a cake
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pound — to hit hard

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