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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: tube · pop · club · wake · perch · rush · root · leaves

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. tube — a container
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pop — music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. perch — the fish
  8. root — the cause
  9. club — for golf
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pop — to visit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pop — soda
  16. root — of a word
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. club — a group
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. club — for dancing
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — hurry
  24. leaves — to go away

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