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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. cue — for pool
  4. root — of a word
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — for betting
  8. root — the cause
  9. board — a committee
  10. ground — a position
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ground — crushed
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wind — moving air

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