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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — the cause
  4. board — to get on
  5. shower — rain
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a committee
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. deal — to handle
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — an agreement

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