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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rash — hasty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. root — of a plant
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. root — of a word
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. firm — a company
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. root — the cause
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — for digging
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. firm — steady

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