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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · racket · root · swing · firm · fine

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. firm — a company
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — the cause
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. firm — steady
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. root — of a word

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