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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. charge — in control
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. spell — a short time
  6. charge — a price
  7. mate — a partner
  8. spring — the season
  9. rest — a break
  10. root — of a word
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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