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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. root — of a plant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. root — of a word
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. root — the cause
  23. bulb — for light
  24. snap — to click

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