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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. club — for dancing
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. root — the cause
  6. stand — to bear
  7. root — of a plant
  8. saw — the tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pound — a weight
  14. face — to confront
  15. saw — the tool
  16. face — to point toward
  17. club — a group
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. club — for golf
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pound — to hit hard

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