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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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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — of a plant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — to fit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. can — to be able to
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. can — a tin

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