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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. dip — to sink
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spell — a short time
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — of a word
  10. scale — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — a break
  13. mug — to rob
  14. snap — to click
  15. spell — magic
  16. scale — size or range
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mug — a cup
  19. root — the cause
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. spell — letters
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. rest — what's left

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