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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. root — the cause
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. board — to get on
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. board — a committee
  18. lie — an untruth

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