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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wax — to grow
  13. board — a committee
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — in a road
  17. board — to get on
  18. rock — music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fork — to eat with

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