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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — to get on
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a ring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — magic
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. band — a music group
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chip — to eat
  24. lie — an untruth

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