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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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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 · lash · shower · wind · can · firm · cabinet · scale

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. scale — in music
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. firm — steady
  12. shower — rain
  13. firm — decided
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — to be able to
  17. scale — size or range
  18. root — the cause
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. firm — a company
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. root — of a plant

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