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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cell — in biology
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — to get on
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wake — a trail
  24. press — a publisher

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