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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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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: bay · cold · mate · root · land · staff · board · bulb

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — of a word
  4. cold — not warm
  5. land — ground
  6. cold — an illness
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — a country
  10. mate — to breed
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — a committee
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a friend
  22. root — of a plant
  23. land — to come down
  24. board — a flat piece

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