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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. present — there
  7. root — of a word
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. swing — music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. swing — to play on
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — the cause
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — employees
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. swing — in golf
  21. root — of a plant
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. present — a gift
  24. cabinet — ministers

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