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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. field — a subject
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — a company
  7. cue — a signal
  8. root — the cause
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — to eat
  14. field — farmland
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rest — a break
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — decided
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. field — for sport

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