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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. board — a committee
  7. capital — money
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. root — of a plant
  13. club — a group
  14. fall — to drop
  15. root — the cause
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — to get on
  22. club — for golf
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. capital — a city

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