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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: toast · spring · rush · fork · rule · root · cabinet · pitcher

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. root — of a plant
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — of water
  23. root — of a word
  24. rule — to rule out

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