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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. board — to get on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cue — a hint
  11. root — the cause
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — child
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cue — a signal
  18. root — of a word
  19. bank — of a river
  20. shower — rain
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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