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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bulb — for light
  3. degree — an amount
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — a law
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. root — the cause
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. degree — temperature
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a word
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — of a plant
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rule — government
  24. bank — of a river

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