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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cold — an illness
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — of a word
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a committee
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bore — to tire
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. board — to get on

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