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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. swing — to play on
  3. object — an aim
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. rest — what's left
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. swing — music
  10. firm — decided
  11. rest — a break
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. club — a group
  17. root — of a plant
  18. swing — in golf
  19. firm — a company
  20. root — of a word
  21. kick — in football
  22. rest — what's left
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. firm — steady

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