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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rule — government
  4. root — of a word
  5. rule — a law
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. root — the cause
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bank — for money
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rest — a break
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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