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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. object — an aim
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a word
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — a thing
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — the cause
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. object — to protest
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pit — a hole

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