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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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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: sharp · snap · tear · present · racket · root · lean · hand

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — the time now
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lean — to bend
  10. root — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. present — a gift
  13. tear — from crying
  14. present — there
  15. lean — thin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a word
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. hand — in cards
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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