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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spell — magic
  3. fall — the season
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. root — of a plant
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. spell — letters
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. board — to get on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. root — of a word

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