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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: root · fall · stem · bowl · wave · chip · wind · roll

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. root — of a plant
  4. roll — a list
  5. root — the cause
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. root — of a word
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fall — the season
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wave — with your hand

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