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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rule — a law
  12. roll — a cake
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — the cause
  16. foot — a measure
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. degree — temperature
  21. root — of a plant
  22. roll — a list
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rule — government

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