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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. shower — rain
  6. root — of a plant
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. shower — to wash
  13. game — a match
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — a trail
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. game — wild animals
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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