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

Word bank: pass · fork · spell · safe · swing · root · rule · bear

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — to play on
  3. spell — magic
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — of a word
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. spell — letters
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. root — the cause
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — of a plant

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