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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. chest — of your body
  3. root — the cause
  4. pop — soda
  5. root — of a word
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. staff — employees
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. pass — a permit
  13. club — for golf
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pop — music
  16. staff — employees
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. club — a group
  24. pop — to visit

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