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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. sharp — clever
  3. root — of a word
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. firm — decided
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — of a plant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wake — a trail
  19. root — the cause
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — steady
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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