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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 120 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — to fit
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. swing — in golf
  6. suit — in cards
  7. deal — to handle
  8. swing — music
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rule — government
  11. firm — decided
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. firm — a company
  16. root — the cause
  17. firm — steady
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rule — a law
  20. swing — to play on
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. chest — a box

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