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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rule — government
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — of a word
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — a trail
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lean — thin
  17. kick — in football
  18. rule — a law
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. root — the cause
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bulb — for light

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