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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 120 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: stick · firm · root · wave · spring · present · leaves · wind

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. root — of a plant
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — the time now
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. spring — a coil
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spring — the season
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spring — of water
  20. root — the cause
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. root — of a word
  24. wave — of the sea

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