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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. root — the cause
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. capital — money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. root — of a word
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. toast — bread
  17. rush — hurry
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. root — of a plant
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rest — a break
  24. capital — a city

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