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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: squash · fall · root · stick · temple · can · hide · clip

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — to be able to
  7. squash — to crush
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — for paper
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fall — to drop
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — a tin
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fall — the season
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. can — a tin
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. clip — to cut

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