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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: wake · patient · root · fall · can · trunk · arm · lean

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. root — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — thin
  19. fall — the season
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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