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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — of a word
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. root — the cause
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lean — thin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — a trail
  22. kick — in football
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. toast — bread

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