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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. board — to get on
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. root — the cause
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rule — a law
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rule — government

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