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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bass — low music
  4. root — of a word
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wind — moving air
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. root — the cause
  24. bass — the instrument

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