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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. net — for catching
  3. capital — money
  4. board — to get on
  5. net — in sport
  6. root — the cause
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. net — after costs
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. capital — a city
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — of a word

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