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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. land — ground
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — music
  8. present — a gift
  9. object — a thing
  10. present — there
  11. object — to protest
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. wake — a trail
  17. land — to come down
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. present — the time now
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. object — an aim
  22. land — a country
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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