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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 116 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. root — of a word
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. root — the cause
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. tear — to rip
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. march — the month
  13. deal — to handle
  14. tear — from crying
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chair — a leader
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. snap — to click
  23. tear — from crying
  24. march — music

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