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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — a weight
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. root — of a word
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. capital — a city
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rest — a break
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — money
  23. root — the cause
  24. craft — boats

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