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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: wave · wake · root · cabinet · hide · clip · stand · swing

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. swing — music
  8. clip — for paper
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. clip — a video
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. swing — in golf
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — of a word
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stand — to bear

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