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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. object — to protest
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — clothes
  10. board — a committee
  11. object — a thing
  12. capital — a city
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — to get on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mine — for digging
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. deal — to handle
  19. root — the cause
  20. object — an aim
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. capital — money
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. deal — a big deal

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