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

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. root — of a word
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a great time
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. root — the cause
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mouse — the animal

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