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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. tear — from crying
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. root — of a word
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — a lid
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. snap — to click
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. tear — to rip
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. cap — a hat

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