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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — a price
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. land — ground
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. root — of a word
  14. land — a country
  15. clip — to cut
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. land — to come down
  18. charge — electricity

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