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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — of a word
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. suit — clothes
  12. root — the cause
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. staff — employees

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