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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — for catching
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. net — in sport
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fall — to drop
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fall — the season
  15. root — the cause
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — to bear
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — after costs
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. root — of a word

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