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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rest — a break
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — to play on
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — a coil
  11. swing — music
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — a company
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a word
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. swing — in golf

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