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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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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 · pit · bay · coach · wave · root · object · leaves

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. root — of a word
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pit — a hole
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. fall — to drop
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fall — the season
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. object — an aim
  24. root — the cause

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