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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. root — of a plant
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. land — a country
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. land — to come down
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. root — the cause
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. sharp — clever
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — bread
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. land — ground
  23. root — of a word
  24. straw — dry grass

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