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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 116 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. board — to get on
  3. land — a country
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. club — for dancing
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. club — for golf
  12. rash — a series
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. land — ground
  18. game — a match
  19. land — to come down
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bulb — for light
  23. root — of a word
  24. pass — a permit

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