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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to click
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cold — an illness
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rock — music
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. root — of a word
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cold — not warm
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wave — with your hand

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