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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. spell — magic
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rule — a law
  7. drill — army training
  8. bark — to shout
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spell — letters
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rule — government
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — the cause
  24. fan — a supporter

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