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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — a match
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. root — of a word
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — shares
  10. clip — to cut
  11. track — a path
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — the sport
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lie — to recline
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. game — wild animals
  21. clip — a video
  22. track — a song
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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