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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rash — a series
  4. fine — all right
  5. root — the cause
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. swing — music
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stock — shares
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. firm — decided
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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