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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. root — of a word
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stock — goods
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — of a plant
  14. deal — to handle
  15. can — to be able to
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — the cause
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rule — government

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