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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 116 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fall — the season
  8. root — the cause
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. snap — to click
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bass — the fish
  24. root — of a word

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