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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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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. swing — in golf
  5. root — the cause
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. perch — the fish
  11. land — ground
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spell — magic
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. swing — to play on
  21. land — a country
  22. cue — for pool
  23. spell — letters
  24. land — to come down

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