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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. date — the fruit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — after costs
  5. root — of a word
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lean — thin
  11. rule — government
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. net — for catching
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pass — a permit
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — the cause

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