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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. squash — to crush
  7. land — ground
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a word
  11. land — to come down
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — a country
  15. shower — to wash
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. shower — rain
  24. squash — the sport

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