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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — of a word
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. spell — magic
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. date — the fruit
  10. root — of a plant
  11. board — to get on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. board — a committee
  18. root — the cause

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