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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — boats
  4. net — in sport
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. net — for catching
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. net — after costs
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a plant
  14. current — electric
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. current — of water
  20. root — the cause
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — happening now
  23. firm — a company
  24. bat — 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