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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — the cause
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. root — of a plant
  10. swing — to play on
  11. file — a document
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. file — a line of people

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