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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: foot · fall · root · rush · bass · stem · lean · wind

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bass — low music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bass — the fish
  15. root — of a word
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fall — the season
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lean — thin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stem — of a plant

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