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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wind — moving air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. root — the cause
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. root — of a word

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