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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cold — an illness
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — in cards
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cold — not warm
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — to come from
  16. game — wild animals
  17. swing — music
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. game — a match
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — clothes
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. swing — to play on

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