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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 116 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. staff — a stick
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cue — a signal
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. rash — hasty
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cue — a hint

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