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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · cabinet · sharp · nail · bay · date · rash · toast

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. root — of a word
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. root — the cause
  11. toast — bread
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. sharp — with an edge

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