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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — hasty
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — government
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rash — a series
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. spring — a coil
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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