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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — a law
  4. root — of a plant
  5. game — a match
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. firm — steady
  8. root — the cause
  9. net — after costs
  10. rest — a break
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — decided
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — a company
  17. rule — government
  18. game — wild animals
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. net — in sport
  24. rest — what's left

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