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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rush — hurry
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — certain
  7. ball — a great time
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rest — a break
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — for money
  20. root — the cause
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fan — a supporter

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