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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — of a word
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — hasty
  6. root — the cause
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stand — to bear
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ball — a great time
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. clip — to cut
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — a tin

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