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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. object — an aim
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. rest — what's left
  8. root — the cause
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. object — a thing
  16. rest — a break
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — of a word
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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