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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mug — a face
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ground — a position
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. season — of the year
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ground — the earth

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