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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. root — the cause
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rule — a law
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. saw — the tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rule — government
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wake — a trail

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