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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. 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. staff — employees
  2. suit — clothes
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. suit — to fit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. root — of a word
  10. rule — government
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. 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