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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · cap · hand · lash · root · fall · cabinet · calf

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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 plant
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a word
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — of ice
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. root — the cause
  18. hand — help
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — the season
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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