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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. deal — to handle
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. root — of a word
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bat — the animal
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. root — of a plant
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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