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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a word
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. root — the cause
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — the arms race
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. race — a contest
  18. root — of a plant
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. court — for sport
  21. ground — a position
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — humankind

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