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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. root — of a word
  11. object — a thing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. capital — money
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — the cause

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