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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. field — farmland
  4. dip — to sink
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rush — hurry
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. root — of a word
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. field — a subject
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. vault — a safe
  19. field — for sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. root — the cause
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — of the sea

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