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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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468
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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. staff — a stick
  3. root — of a word
  4. rule — government
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mug — to rob
  7. tear — from crying
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tear — to rip
  10. staff — employees
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — the cause
  13. mug — a face
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fine — high quality
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fine — all right
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rule — a law
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fine — a penalty

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