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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bat — the animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. root — of a word
  10. land — a country
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. land — to come down
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cue — a signal
  15. staff — employees
  16. land — ground
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cue — a hint
  20. staff — employees
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. root — the cause
  24. staff — a stick

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