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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — the cause
  4. game — wild animals
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rest — a break
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rest — what's left
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. prune — to trim
  15. root — of a plant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a match
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — what's left

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