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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — the cause
  3. board — to get on
  4. capital — a city
  5. wake — a trail
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. board — a committee
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. capital — money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stock — shares
  14. root — of a word
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. tube — a container
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rush — hurry

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