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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bark — to shout
  5. present — a gift
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stand — to bear
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. present — the time now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — of a word
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. present — there

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