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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
468
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: rush · straw · leaves · root · spell · wake · rest · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. root — of a word
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. root — the cause
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. root — of a plant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. spell — letters
  24. rest — a break

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