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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a plant
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mug — a face
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wake — a trail
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rest — a break
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mug — a cup
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. root — the cause
  17. tube — a container
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. root — of a word
  20. net — for catching
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mug — to rob

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