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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. root — of a word
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. deal — to handle
  5. hand — in cards
  6. saw — the tool
  7. squash — the sport
  8. root — the cause
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. hand — help
  13. root — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. can — to be able to
  17. saw — the tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — of the sea

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