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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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — of a word
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. board — a committee
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mate — to breed
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — low music
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — the most important part
  16. root — the cause
  17. key — in music
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stand — on your feet

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