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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — to handle
  7. root — the cause
  8. kid — to tease
  9. hand — help
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kid — child
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. board — a committee
  21. root — of a plant
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. row — a line
  24. board — to get on

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