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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. root — of a word
  4. rule — government
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — a law
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. root — the cause
  24. rule — to rule out

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