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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — the cause
  5. mark — a grade
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fork — in a road
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. kid — to tease
  11. dip — to sink
  12. root — of a word
  13. kid — child
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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