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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. field — a subject
  4. root — of a word
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a great time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. field — for sport
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cue — a signal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. field — farmland
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. root — the cause
  22. rule — government
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — a hint

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