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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. clip — a video
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pitch — completely
  10. clip — to cut
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. clip — for paper
  13. snap — to click
  14. root — the cause
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. row — a line
  19. wake — a trail
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — of a word
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wake — before a funeral

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