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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. root — the cause
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. root — of a word
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. snap — to click
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rule — a law

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