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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bass — the fish
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. content — the amount
  11. root — of a plant
  12. file — a document
  13. rush — hurry
  14. content — happy
  15. root — the cause
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rule — a law
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rule — government
  20. bass — low music
  21. file — a tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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