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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rule — a law
  7. net — in sport
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. band — a ring
  11. root — of a word
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. net — after costs
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — to visit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. band — a music group
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — government
  22. pop — soda
  23. net — for catching
  24. band — a rubber band

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