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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — a committee
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. file — a document
  13. root — of a plant
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. club — a group
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. board — to get on
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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