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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 112 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a word
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. firm — steady
  17. rule — government
  18. firm — decided
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. root — the cause
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — a law

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