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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — for catching
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — of a word
  10. mark — a grade
  11. net — after costs
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — in sport
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — a trace

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