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

Word bank: fall · firm · lean · snap · spring · root · cabinet · toast

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. root — of a word
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. snap — to click
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. spring — a coil
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. root — the cause
  16. lean — thin
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. firm — steady

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