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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rush — hurry
  3. land — to come down
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. land — a country
  10. rash — a series
  11. content — the amount
  12. land — ground
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. root — the cause
  17. content — happy
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. content — videos and posts

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