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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chest — a box
  15. tube — a container
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — for pool
  24. tube — in a tire

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