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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rush — hurry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mark — a grade
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — a committee
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. sharp — clever
  10. board — to get on
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mark — a trace
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cap — a hat
  22. root — of a word
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cap — a lid

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