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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. root — the cause
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. land — to come down
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. land — ground
  9. root — of a plant
  10. band — a ring
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rush — hurry
  18. land — a country
  19. toast — bread
  20. root — of a word
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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