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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.

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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rule — a law
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. band — a ring
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wind — moving air
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. firm — a company
  20. root — the cause
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — decided
  23. band — a music group
  24. wind — moving air

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