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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rest · staff · march · current · wave · fall · bass · root

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. root — of a word
  4. rest — a break
  5. current — electric
  6. fall — the season
  7. current — of water
  8. fall — to drop
  9. march — the month
  10. root — the cause
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bass — low music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. march — music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. current — happening now
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. staff — employees
  23. march — the month
  24. root — of a plant

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