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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 120 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: spring · root · bass · deal · rush · lean · wave · calf

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bass — low music
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. root — of a word
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spring — of water
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. root — the cause

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