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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fall — the season
  4. last — to go on
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. file — a document
  11. last — final
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. file — a tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. last — finally
  24. tube — a container

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