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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. chest — of your body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chest — a box
  5. craft — boats
  6. chest — of your body
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fine — all right
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. root — the cause
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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