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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 124 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. kick — in football
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. object — an aim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a music group
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — a thing
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. wax — to grow
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. object — to protest
  20. band — a ring
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. root — of a word

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