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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.

Make a worksheet

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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. root — the cause
  6. board — to get on
  7. root — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. straw — dry grass

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