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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lean — to bend
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tube — a container
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. scale — in music
  11. swing — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — a break
  15. lean — thin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. root — the cause
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. root — of a word
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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