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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. cell — a phone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. board — a committee
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. cell — in biology
  13. branch — a division
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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