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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. branch — a division
  5. root — the cause
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. root — of a word
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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