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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. root — of a plant
  3. key — in music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. root — the cause
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. branch — a division
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. board — to get on
  17. root — of a word
  18. rule — government
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. race — a contest
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. race — humankind

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