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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. staff — employees
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wound — an injury
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rush — hurry
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wound — an injury
  14. swing — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fall — the season
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. root — of a word
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pass — a permit
  24. root — the cause

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