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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. root — the cause
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fine — all right
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. root — of a word
  24. rash — hasty

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