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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. root — of a word
  6. charge — a price
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. present — there
  11. kid — to tease
  12. present — the time now
  13. root — the cause
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. kid — child
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — a gift
  24. bowl — to roll

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