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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. root — of a word
  3. staff — a stick
  4. tear — from crying
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tear — from crying
  13. track — a path
  14. mate — a friend
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. tear — to rip
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. board — a committee
  20. track — a song
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kid — child

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