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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. lean — thin
  3. kick — in football
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — an aim
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pit — a hole
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. root — the cause
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. object — to protest
  18. root — of a word
  19. cap — a hat
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — a thing
  24. cabinet — ministers

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