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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.

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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — the cause
  3. capital — money
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — hurry
  6. root — of a plant
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. land — to come down
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — to get on
  12. land — ground
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. board — a committee
  16. capital — a city
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. land — a country
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. root — of a word
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. toast — bread

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