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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bass — the fish
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bear — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. saw — the tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — a signal

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