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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mate — a friend
  3. root — the cause
  4. cell — a phone
  5. root — of a word
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. plane — a tool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mate — to breed
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mate — a partner
  16. charge — a price
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fall — to drop

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