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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — the earth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ground — a position
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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