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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: root · tube · leaves · net · current · wake · wave · firm

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — of a word
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — for catching
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. firm — a company
  10. root — the cause
  11. firm — decided
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. net — in sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. net — after costs
  21. root — of a plant
  22. current — electric
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wave — of the sea

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