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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wind — moving air
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. net — for catching
  6. club — a group
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — a company
  10. root — of a word
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — decided
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. net — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. net — after costs
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — to bend
  22. root — of a plant
  23. club — for golf
  24. lean — thin

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