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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: racket · mark · cabinet · toast · root · spell · row · chair

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. toast — bread
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. spell — magic
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. root — of a word
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — a short time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. spell — letters
  19. row — to paddle
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. chair — a leader

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