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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rash — a series
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. root — the cause
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rash — hasty
  18. root — of a word
  19. chair — a leader
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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