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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rule — government
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kid — child
  6. mate — a friend
  7. root — of a word
  8. bear — the animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. pit — in a race
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rule — a law
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. squash — the sport
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mate — to breed

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