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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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468
Word bank
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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — of a word
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rule — government
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rule — a law
  21. root — the cause
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. charge — in control
  24. rule — to rule 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