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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. root — of a word
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rush — hurry
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a committee
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young animal

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