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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rule — a law
  7. shower — to wash
  8. root — the cause
  9. shower — rain
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. pitch — completely
  23. last — finally
  24. root — of a word

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