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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: shower · staff · pass · root · toast · bound · fan · cabinet

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bound — certain
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. root — the cause
  7. staff — a stick
  8. shower — to wash
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. root — of a word
  11. shower — rain
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — employees
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. root — of a plant
  17. toast — bread
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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