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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — the cause
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. root — of a word
  7. squash — to crush
  8. track — to keep track
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cue — a signal
  12. track — a path
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. lie — to recline
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — a song
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — thin

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