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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. root — of a word
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. key — for a lock
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. board — a committee
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. key — in music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — the cause
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. hide — to keep secret

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