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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. drill — army training
  7. track — a path
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. root — the cause
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wake — a trail
  14. drill — the tool
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — of a word
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. track — a song
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. drill — a practice
  24. sharp — with an edge

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