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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 116 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. race — a contest
  5. snap — to click
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. craft — a skill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. craft — boats
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. root — of a word
  15. race — the arms race
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. race — humankind
  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