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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — to recline
  4. root — the cause
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pass — a permit
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — the underground
  13. root — of a word
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. root — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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