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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — music
  8. root — of a word
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a plant
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fall — the season
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. board — a committee
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. root — the cause
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. deal — a big deal

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