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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chest — of your body
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chest — a box
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. ball — a round shape

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