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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. root — of a word
  3. firm — steady
  4. ground — a position
  5. root — the cause
  6. lean — thin
  7. root — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rule — a law
  12. tube — a container
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — a company
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ground — the earth
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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