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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — of a plant
  7. march — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a word
  12. shower — rain
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. shower — to wash
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ground — a position
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. march — the month
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — the cause

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