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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. drill — the tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rush — hurry
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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