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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 120 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: spring · can · root · lean · rest · bat · track · stand

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rest — a break
  6. root — the cause
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rest — what's left
  9. root — of a plant
  10. track — a path
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. track — a song
  13. can — a tin
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. lean — thin
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. root — of a word
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bat — for baseball

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