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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. spell — letters
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. firm — steady
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. spell — magic
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rule — a law
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spell — a short time
  18. root — of a word
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. root — the cause
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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