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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — to come down
  5. rock — music
  6. root — the cause
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. staff — employees
  10. land — ground
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rock — a stone
  13. land — a country
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — on a finger

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