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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. root — the cause
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. mark — a trace
  7. charge — electricity
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. root — of a plant
  13. charge — in control
  14. root — of a word
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — a price
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention

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