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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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. root — of a word
  3. mug — a cup
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. spring — a coil
  6. scale — in music
  7. board — to get on
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spring — of water
  10. scale — size or range
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. root — the cause
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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