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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. firm — decided
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. season — in sport
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. root — of a word
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. root — the cause
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. nail — for a hammer

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