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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. root — the cause
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. root — of a word
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. can — a tin
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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