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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bat — the animal
  6. root — of a word
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — a committee
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. root — the cause
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bat — for baseball

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