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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. last — final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — to go on
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. root — of a word
  7. last — finally
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — to get on
  13. root — the cause
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — a break

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