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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.

Make a worksheet

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: foot · fan · sharp · cue · perch · root · wave · leaves

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — the fish
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a hint
  13. foot — a measure
  14. sharp — clever
  15. root — the cause
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fan — a supporter

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