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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: net · root · fan · bound · jam · cabinet · present · lean

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. present — the time now
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — a gift
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — in sport
  7. lean — to bend
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — thin
  10. net — after costs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bound — certain
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bound — tied together
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bound — obliged
  18. present — there
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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