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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pit — in a race
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. root — of a word
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — for catching
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rest — a break
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a hole
  17. net — after costs
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. suit — in cards
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — a friend
  24. root — the cause

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