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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rest — what's left
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — to confront
  9. tear — from crying
  10. root — of a word
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — the cause
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to bend
  18. face — part of the head
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. face — to point toward
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. tear — from crying

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