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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — an injury
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. root — of a word
  8. land — a country
  9. rest — a break
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. file — a document
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. press — a publisher
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. land — to come down
  23. rest — what's left
  24. land — ground

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