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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a plant
  3. content — the amount
  4. shower — to wash
  5. swing — in golf
  6. firm — decided
  7. board — to get on
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. lie — to recline
  10. swing — to play on
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — rain
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — music
  24. root — the cause

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