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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bear — the animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. object — an aim
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rule — government
  20. root — the cause
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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