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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 116 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fine — high quality
  6. root — of a word
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fine — all right
  12. lean — thin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — in cards
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stock — shares
  20. kick — in football
  21. stock — goods
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — the cause
  24. fine — a penalty

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