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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. root — the cause
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — steady
  7. rule — government
  8. march — the month
  9. rock — a stone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — a law
  15. firm — decided
  16. march — the month
  17. root — of a word
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rock — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. march — music
  24. rule — to rule out

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