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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. wake — a trail
  6. root — the cause
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cold — an illness
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rock — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. root — of a word
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — a permit
  24. temple — side of the head

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