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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 120 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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Word bank
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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rest — what's left
  4. race — a contest
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. race — humankind
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — government
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. root — of a word
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. race — the arms race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — a break
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. staff — employees
  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