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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: root · lean · fine · land · stand · dip · kick · ruler

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. land — ground
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. root — the cause
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lean — thin
  11. fine — all right
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. land — a country
  14. stand — to bear
  15. kick — in football
  16. fine — high quality
  17. land — to come down
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. dip — to dunk

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