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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mug — a cup
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mug — to rob
  6. band — a ring
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. prune — to trim
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. band — a music group
  12. board — a committee
  13. root — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to click
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — the fruit

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