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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. can — to be able to
  4. root — of a word
  5. can — a tin
  6. tear — to rip
  7. root — the cause
  8. hand — in cards
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. staff — employees
  12. club — for dancing
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. spell — a short time
  16. hand — help
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — employees
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spell — letters
  24. club — a group

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