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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 124 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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. root — the cause
  4. file — a tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wake — a trail
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. root — of a word
  21. chair — a leader
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. file — a document
  24. root — of a plant

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