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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. root — of a plant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. present — there
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a word
  12. fall — to drop
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. present — the time now
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. root — the cause
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. present — a gift
  23. tube — a container
  24. deal — a big deal

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