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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: wave · pound · root · fall · dip · rule · squash · pass

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pound — a weight
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rule — government
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. squash — to crush
  15. root — of a word
  16. fall — the season
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — to drop

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