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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. court — for sport
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. root — of a word
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. race — the arms race
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. court — of law
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — to fit
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. court — of a king
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lean — thin

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