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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — the cause
  3. dip — to sink
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. root — of a word
  6. fine — high quality
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. squash — the sport
  12. kid — to tease
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. squash — to crush
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fine — all right
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kid — child
  24. racket — for tennis

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