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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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. present — the time now
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — magic
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. snap — to click
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. spell — letters
  22. stand — to bear
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. root — the cause

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