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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rule — government
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. band — a music group
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rule — a law
  17. band — a ring
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. root — the cause
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. safe — out of danger

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