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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.

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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · root · racket · kick · rest · march

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — of a word
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fall — to drop
  7. kick — in football
  8. root — the cause
  9. fall — the season
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. fall — to drop
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — the month
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kick — a thrill

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