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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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Word bank
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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: lie · kick · game · root · rest · pass · saw · can

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kick — in football
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. root — the cause
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a match
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rest — a break

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