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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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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. staff — employees
  4. row — a line
  5. root — of a plant
  6. race — the arms race
  7. spell — letters
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — a short time
  14. race — humankind
  15. root — of a word
  16. race — a contest
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spell — magic
  19. pit — in a race
  20. staff — employees
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. root — the cause
  24. staff — a stick

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