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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. root — the cause
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. tear — to rip
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. tear — from crying
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. branch — a division
  19. pitch — completely
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. scale — in music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wake — a trail

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