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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.

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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. swing — music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. root — of a word
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mouse — the animal

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