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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. root — of a plant
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — high quality
  9. root — the cause
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fall — the season
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. board — to get on
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lash — to lash out

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