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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. chest — of your body
  7. root — of a plant
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chest — a box
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — to be able to
  12. perch — the fish
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. can — a tin
  17. hand — help
  18. suit — to fit
  19. root — of a word
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — to sink

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