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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. firm — decided
  3. tube — a container
  4. fine — all right
  5. wind — moving air
  6. root — the cause
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. firm — a company
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — steady
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lean — thin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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