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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. root — of a word
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — a short time
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — magic
  16. root — the cause
  17. stand — to bear
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fine — high quality
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spell — letters
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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