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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. root — the cause
  5. plane — a tool
  6. root — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a word
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. press — a publisher
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cold — not warm
  18. press — to push
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cold — an illness
  22. board — to get on
  23. lie — to recline
  24. plane — in geometry

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