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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. root — of a word
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rest — a break
  11. root — the cause
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lean — thin
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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