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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — to crush
  4. swing — to play on
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rule — government
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. root — of a word
  18. plane — a tool
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — steady
  22. root — the cause
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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