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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: squash · root · file · straw · stand · hand · wave · temple

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — the cause
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. root — of a word
  5. hand — help
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. root — of a plant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. file — a line of people
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. file — a tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hand — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. file — a document
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. squash — to crush

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