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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. hand — help
  3. stand — to bear
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cap — a hat
  10. root — of a word
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — of ice
  13. root — the cause
  14. rock — music
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. board — to get on
  21. bat — the animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. board — a committee
  24. bat — in an idiom

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