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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. file — a document
  3. root — of a word
  4. file — a tool
  5. march — music
  6. stock — shares
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. staff — employees
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. root — the cause
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. march — the month
  19. board — to get on
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stock — goods
  22. march — the month
  23. board — a committee
  24. stand — on your feet

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