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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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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: root · wind · safe · row · wave · pound · cue · tube

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wind — moving air
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. row — a line
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — a container
  16. row — to paddle
  17. root — of a word
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a hint

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