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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mine — for digging
  4. root — the cause
  5. snap — to click
  6. rule — a law
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — government
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. root — of a plant
  13. file — a document
  14. ground — crushed
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. file — a line of people
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. file — a tool
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ground — a position

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