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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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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rule — a law
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. key — in music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — for digging

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