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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
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: rash · net · stand · cabinet · fall · root · mark · bass

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — the cause
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fall — the season
  9. net — for catching
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — a grade
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — to bear

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