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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — of a plant
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lean — to bend
  17. root — of a word
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. key — in music
  21. kick — in football
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lean — thin

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