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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rule — government
  4. drill — a practice
  5. root — the cause
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a word
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pass — a permit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. drill — army training
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — the tool

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