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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. board — a committee
  6. root — of a word
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. board — to get on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. deal — to handle
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. can — a tin
  22. race — a contest
  23. root — the cause
  24. can — to be able to

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