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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: lean · wake · rush · foot · fine · root · spell · present

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — the cause
  6. spell — letters
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. spell — magic
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. foot — a measure
  13. spell — a short time
  14. present — there
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lean — to bend
  18. fine — high quality
  19. root — of a word
  20. fine — all right
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. present — the time now

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