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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. toast — the most admired
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. root — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pass — a permit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. tear — to rip
  9. land — to come down
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. land — a country
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. tear — from crying
  14. land — ground
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. root — the cause
  17. toast — bread
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. root — of a word
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tear — from crying
  23. vault — a safe
  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