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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rush — hurry
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — of a word
  12. board — to get on
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — a trail
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. net — in sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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