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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. root — the cause
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rock — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hand — help
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kick — in football
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kick — a thrill

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