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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a plant
  3. drill — army training
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rash — hasty
  13. court — of law
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. sharp — clever
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. court — of a king
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. court — for sport

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