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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spring — the season
  7. board — a committee
  8. spring — of water
  9. root — the cause
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — government
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lie — to recline
  17. board — to get on
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stand — for spectators

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