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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to click
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. root — the cause
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. root — of a word
  9. rule — a law
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rash — a series
  12. rule — government
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rash — hasty
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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