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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lie — to recline
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mate — a partner
  10. swing — to play on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. root — of a word
  13. swing — music
  14. spring — of water
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. spring — a coil
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spring — the season
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — with your hand

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