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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. season — of the year
  3. root — the cause
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. chip — to eat
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to bend
  14. season — in sport
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — thin
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rest — a break
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wax — for sculpting

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