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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. last — to go on
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. board — to get on
  10. net — for catching
  11. fork — in a road
  12. net — in sport
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. last — finally
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. last — final
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mug — a face
  21. net — after costs
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rash — a series

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