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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — to recline
  3. suit — clothes
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a committee
  20. hand — in cards
  21. root — the cause
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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