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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. net — for catching
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — to move gently
  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