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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spell — a short time
  3. scale — in music
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — to get on
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bark — to shout
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. vault — a safe
  14. spell — magic
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitch — completely
  21. root — the cause
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. board — a committee

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