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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. root — the cause
  4. kid — child
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stock — shares
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. hand — in cards
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. staff — employees
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. staff — employees
  17. root — of a word
  18. rule — a law
  19. staff — a stick
  20. kid — to tease
  21. stock — goods
  22. plane — a tool
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stock — a soup base

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