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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. root — the cause
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wake — a trail
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. board — a committee
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. swing — in golf
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. swing — music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. board — to get on
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. root — of a plant
  24. swing — to play on

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