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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. row — a line
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. snap — to click
  14. cap — a hat
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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