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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bore — to drill
  10. root — the cause
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. root — of a plant
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — employees
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. root — of a word
  21. staff — employees
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bowl — a dish

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