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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. firm — a company
  4. root — the cause
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — steady
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. file — a line of people
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — to crush
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — of a word
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. root — of a plant
  22. row — a line
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. file — a document

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