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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. root — of a word
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kick — in football
  22. root — the cause
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. patient — a sick person

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