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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a great time
  7. present — the time now
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ball — a dance
  11. present — there
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. board — a committee
  14. squash — to crush
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bound — obliged
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. present — a gift
  24. board — a flat piece

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