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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — the time now
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. root — of a plant
  12. file — a line of people
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. file — a document
  17. dip — to sink
  18. present — a gift
  19. root — of a word
  20. mark — a trace
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. present — there
  23. file — a tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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