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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. root — the cause
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — in golf
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — a group
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. root — of a word
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mark — a grade
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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