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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: firm · wake · roll · lean · root · clip · stick · hide

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. root — of a plant
  3. firm — a company
  4. clip — for paper
  5. firm — steady
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. roll — a list
  14. root — the cause
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. root — of a word
  17. clip — to cut
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — a video
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. roll — a cake
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. hide — to keep secret

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