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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — to get on
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — a thing
  16. hand — in cards
  17. object — an aim
  18. board — a committee
  19. hand — help
  20. object — to protest
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — a thrill

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