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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: spell · stand · shower · temple · leaves · root · cap · pop

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cap — of ice
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pop — to visit
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — a hat
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pop — music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pop — soda
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spell — letters
  23. stand — to bear
  24. leaves — to go away

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