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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — all right
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rash — a series
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rest — what's left
  13. club — for golf
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. club — for dancing
  16. root — of a word
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — the cause
  20. fine — high quality
  21. club — a group
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rash — hasty

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