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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stand — to bear
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. root — of a word
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. root — the cause
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — decided
  21. race — humankind
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — a company
  24. perch — the fish

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