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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — a break
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bass — low music
  12. tube — a container
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. root — the cause
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rest — what's left

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