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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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468
Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — the cause
  15. kick — in football
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fall — the season
  19. bass — low music
  20. can — a tin
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bass — the fish

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