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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — a company
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — to eat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — music
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. swing — to play on
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bark — to shout
  22. root — of a plant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. leaves — to go away

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