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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · fan · hand · rule · present · snap · straw · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. root — of a word
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. present — the time now
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — a gift
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. root — of a plant
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. present — there
  24. snap — to click

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