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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 116 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rash — a series
  3. ground — the earth
  4. root — of a word
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — a country
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. rule — government
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. land — to come down
  17. root — the cause
  18. rash — hasty
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rule — a law
  21. ground — a position
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. land — ground
  24. lash — to lash out

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