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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. land — a country
  3. can — to be able to
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fall — the season
  9. row — to paddle
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. root — of a plant
  18. land — to come down
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. root — of a word
  21. land — ground
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. row — a line

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