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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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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. net — after costs
  6. drill — army training
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — for catching
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. drill — the tool
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rule — a law
  16. drill — a practice
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tear — to rip
  19. roll — a list
  20. rule — government
  21. root — of a word
  22. bank — of a river
  23. tear — from crying
  24. roll — a cake

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