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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. spell — a short time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. spring — of water
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. root — the cause
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — of a plant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wake — a trail
  14. spring — a coil
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spring — the season
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. root — of a word
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. racket — for tennis

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