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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 124 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — of your body
  4. root — of a word
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. wound — an injury
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chest — a box
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. root — the cause
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to drill
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — to dunk

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