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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. race — humankind
  8. root — of a word
  9. firm — decided
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — what's left
  12. staff — a stick
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — the arms race
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rest — a break
  18. rule — government
  19. race — a contest
  20. rule — a law
  21. root — the cause
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. degree — temperature

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