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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cold — not warm
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cold — an illness
  15. roll — a cake
  16. fine — all right
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a grade
  24. hide — to keep secret

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