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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — music
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — the cause
  8. swing — to play on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — letters
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — magic

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