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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · field · sharp · root · arm · fall · bay · object

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fall — to drop
  3. field — farmland
  4. root — of a plant
  5. field — for sport
  6. sharp — clever
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — a committee
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. root — of a word
  14. board — to get on
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — to protest
  17. fall — to drop
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. root — the cause
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. field — a subject
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fall — the season

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