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

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bear — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a committee
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. board — to get on
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. root — the cause
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. charge — a price
  23. root — of a plant
  24. charge — electricity

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