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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. lean — thin
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. perch — the fish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — a match
  24. perch — for a bird

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