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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. root — of a word
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tear — to rip
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — a trail
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — from crying
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. staff — a stick
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — the cause
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. saw — the tool

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