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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ground — the earth
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. root — of a plant
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. root — of a word
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ground — a position
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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