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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pop — music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rule — government
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mug — a face
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. root — the cause
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rest — what's left
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rest — a break
  19. root — of a word
  20. rule — a law
  21. pop — soda
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bark — to shout

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