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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rule — government
  12. rush — hurry
  13. march — the month
  14. swing — in golf
  15. march — the month
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. march — music
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rule — a law
  24. cue — for pool

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