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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. root — the cause
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. mine — for digging
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a plant

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