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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. root — of a plant
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. degree — temperature
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. staff — a stick
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a word
  16. bore — to tire
  17. degree — from a university
  18. root — the cause
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rule — a law
  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