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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. band — a music group
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. swing — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lie — to recline
  22. band — a ring
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lie — an untruth

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