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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to drill
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. firm — steady
  11. root — the cause
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rule — a law
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — decided
  23. bore — to tire
  24. racket — for tennis

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