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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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468
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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. root — the cause
  8. perch — the fish
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rule — a law
  17. drill — a practice
  18. root — of a word
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rule — government
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cap — a lid

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