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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. squash — the sport
  4. foot — a measure
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. board — to get on
  10. root — of a word
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cap — a lid
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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