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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 120 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. root — the cause
  3. staff — employees
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — a thing
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wake — a trail
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — an aim
  16. staff — employees
  17. root — of a word
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. kick — in football
  23. root — of a plant
  24. object — to protest

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