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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.

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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. craft — boats
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. charge — electricity
  6. spell — a short time
  7. root — the cause
  8. game — wild animals
  9. club — for dancing
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. club — for golf
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — of a word
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. game — a match
  20. club — a group
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a handicraft

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