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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. chest — of your body
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. root — of a plant
  8. chest — a box
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — to cut
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. root — of a word
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. clip — a video
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — government

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