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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. root — the cause
  4. march — music
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. march — the month
  9. root — of a word
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — a cup
  13. date — the fruit
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fall — the season
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rule — government
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mug — a face
  24. march — the month

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