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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. root — of a word
  6. chest — of your body
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. board — a committee
  11. chest — a box
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. court — for sport
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. date — the fruit
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. court — of a king
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stand — to bear

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