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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. craft — boats
  4. rule — government
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cell — in biology
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — a law
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. craft — a skill
  14. root — the cause
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. suit — to fit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cell — a phone
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. root — of a word

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