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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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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. root — the cause
  5. chest — a box
  6. root — of a plant
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wake — a trail
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stand — to bear
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. root — of a word
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. leaves — lets stay

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