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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. swing — in golf
  5. lie — to recline
  6. net — after costs
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rest — what's left
  9. net — in sport
  10. court — for sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. net — for catching
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. court — of a king
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. swing — music
  24. court — of law

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