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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wind — moving air
  4. can — to be able to
  5. drill — a practice
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. drill — army training
  11. root — the cause
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. root — of a plant
  15. toast — bread
  16. drill — the tool
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. face — to confront
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a word
  23. face — part of the head
  24. can — a tin

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