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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. root — the cause
  4. rule — a law
  5. wind — moving air
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. root — of a word
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. root — of a plant
  13. key — in music
  14. capital — a city
  15. rule — government
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. capital — money
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rush — hurry
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cue — a signal

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