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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rule — government
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. root — the cause
  7. rule — a law
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. root — of a word
  16. bear — the animal
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. sharp — clever
  21. kick — in football
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bear — the animal

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