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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.

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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. root — of a plant
  3. charge — electricity
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ball — a dance
  17. charge — in control
  18. root — the cause
  19. march — music
  20. root — of a word
  21. content — happy
  22. present — there
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. march — the month

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