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

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. root — the cause
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — of a plant
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. root — of a word
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wound — an injury

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