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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. fall — to drop
  4. season — of the year
  5. staff — a stick
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — the season
  8. bark — to shout
  9. season — in sport
  10. firm — decided
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. current — electric
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — employees
  19. root — the cause
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — steady
  22. current — of water
  23. staff — employees
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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