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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 120 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.

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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pit — a hole
  3. root — of a word
  4. charge — a price
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. capital — money
  17. charge — in control
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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