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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hand — in cards
  7. root — of a word
  8. charge — a price
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. row — to paddle
  13. hand — help
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cap — a hat
  17. root — the cause
  18. row — a line
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cap — of ice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cap — a lid

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