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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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468
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a word
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. root — the cause
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — a song
  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