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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rule — a law
  3. root — the cause
  4. object — to protest
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pop — music
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. pop — soda
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rule — government
  12. pop — to visit
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. object — an aim
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — a thing

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