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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: shower · cue · lean · stick · leaves · root · rule · kick

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lean — to bend
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. root — of a word
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — thin
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. shower — to wash
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rule — a law
  23. shower — rain
  24. kick — in football

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