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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rash — a series
  3. key — in music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pit — in a race
  6. clip — for paper
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fall — the season
  12. key — for a lock
  13. clip — a video
  14. root — of a word
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fall — to drop

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