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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — a partner
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — a break
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rule — government
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bound — tied together

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