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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. season — in sport
  5. rush — hurry
  6. kid — child
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — a company
  17. bank — for money
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. root — the cause
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — a hole
  22. kid — to tease
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. season — of the year

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