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

Word bank: tear · swing · wave · root · can · rash · wind · calf

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. root — of a plant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rash — a series
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. root — of a word
  17. rash — hasty
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wind — moving air
  20. can — a tin
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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