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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — to fit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — the cause
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. ground — the earth
  8. root — of a plant
  9. ground — a position
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. ground — crushed
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — a price
  20. tear — from crying
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. charge — in control
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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