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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. root — of a word
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. root — the cause
  8. lean — thin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — to bend
  20. root — of a plant
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rule — a law

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