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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. march — the month
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — of a plant
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. march — the month
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. march — music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. kid — child
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. root — the cause
  21. kid — to tease
  22. date — the fruit
  23. firm — decided
  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