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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. march — the month
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. field — a subject
  12. rule — government
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. root — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. march — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rule — a law
  24. wave — with your hand

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