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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. land — a country
  4. tear — to rip
  5. root — the cause
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — to get on
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. court — for sport
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mug — to rob
  13. board — a committee
  14. land — to come down
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rock — a stone
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. mate — a friend
  20. land — ground
  21. mug — a face
  22. court — of law
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rock — music

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