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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. board — a committee
  5. last — final
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. root — of a plant
  9. last — to go on
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rule — a law
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. root — the cause
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — to get on
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — government
  22. swing — music
  23. last — finally
  24. swing — in golf

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