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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — to get on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — a committee
  8. spell — magic
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. land — ground
  13. staff — a stick
  14. root — of a word
  15. field — for sport
  16. staff — employees
  17. ball — a dance
  18. spell — letters
  19. land — a country
  20. lie — to recline
  21. root — the cause
  22. field — a subject
  23. land — to come down
  24. field — farmland

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