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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 116 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. root — of a plant
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — to fit
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cold — not warm
  7. band — a music group
  8. rash — hasty
  9. band — a ring
  10. net — in sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. root — the cause
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rule — a law
  19. rash — a series
  20. rule — government
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lie — to recline
  23. net — after costs
  24. root — of a word

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