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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · straw · root · bass · staff · board · bear · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — government
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bass — the fish
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bass — low music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rule — a law
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. staff — employees
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bear — the animal

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