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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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468
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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. season — of the year
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a word
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. kick — in football
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stem — to come from
  22. season — in sport
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wake — a trail

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