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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. root — the cause
  6. roll — a cake
  7. firm — decided
  8. date — the fruit
  9. firm — a company
  10. roll — a list
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. scale — in music
  14. root — of a word
  15. current — happening now
  16. scale — size or range
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. current — electric
  24. scale — for weighing

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