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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. object — a thing
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — to protest
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. staff — employees
  19. cell — in biology
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. object — an aim
  23. staff — a stick
  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