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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rash — a series
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — a thing
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. root — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. root — the cause
  23. rock — music
  24. rash — hasty

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