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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bass — low music
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. bass — the fish
  10. snap — to click
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. object — to protest
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. root — of a word
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. object — an aim
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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