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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — government
  3. rest — a break
  4. tube — a container
  5. spell — a short time
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — a law
  9. can — a tin
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. root — of a word
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — of a plant
  19. tube — the underground
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. root — the cause
  23. can — a tin
  24. dip — a sauce

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