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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cold — an illness
  4. rush — hurry
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cold — not warm
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bass — low music
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. root — the cause
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bowl — a dish

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