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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. game — a match
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pitch — completely
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — in control
  12. root — the cause
  13. game — wild animals
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. firm — a company
  17. root — of a word
  18. track — a path
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bear — the animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bear — to put up with

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