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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. root — the cause
  3. spell — letters
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. spell — a short time
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wind — moving air
  9. spell — magic
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bear — the animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. race — humankind
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. roll — a list
  22. root — of a word
  23. bear — the animal
  24. race — a contest

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