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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. swing — in golf
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. swing — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. root — of a word
  16. swing — to play on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. foot — a measure
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. root — the cause
  24. deal — to handle

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