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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — rain
  5. present — the time now
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rule — a law
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. present — a gift
  12. spring — the season
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. spring — of water
  15. kid — to tease
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kid — child
  21. present — there
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rule — government
  24. suit — in cards

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