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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cell — a phone
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wax — to grow
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. root — of a word
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — in biology
  22. root — the cause
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cap — of ice

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