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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. root — of a word
  4. spell — letters
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spell — a short time
  18. root — of a plant
  19. spell — magic
  20. mug — to rob
  21. root — the cause
  22. lean — thin
  23. rest — a break
  24. board — to get 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