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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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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: cabinet · tear · lie · deal · root · mate · season · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. tear — from crying
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. season — of the year
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — to breed
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rash — a series
  13. lie — to recline
  14. tear — from crying
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — in sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mate — a partner
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tear — to rip

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