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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. root — the cause
  5. board — a committee
  6. lean — thin
  7. root — of a word
  8. key — the most important part
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. lean — to bend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cold — an illness
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. key — in music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. key — for a lock
  23. foot — a measure
  24. root — of a plant

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