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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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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: wake · cold · root · season · racket · fine · straw · bay

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fine — high quality
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wake — a trail
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cold — an illness
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — all right
  19. season — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. season — of the year

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