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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. root — of a word
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. root — of a plant
  6. kick — in football
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — a law
  12. suit — to fit
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. tear — to rip
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. tear — from crying
  17. root — the cause
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kick — a thrill

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