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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mate — to breed
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mate — a partner
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — in a road
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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