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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: object · spell · wake · root · bound · leaves · hand · mug

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. spell — a short time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. root — the cause
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spell — magic
  7. object — a thing
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. spell — letters
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bound — certain
  14. mug — a face
  15. root — of a word
  16. hand — help
  17. wake — a trail
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mug — to rob
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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