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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: root · kid · wave · dip · spring · squash · pound · suit

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pound — a weight
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. kid — child
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — to sink
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. squash — to crush
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spring — of water
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. kid — to tease
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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