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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bat — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — in control
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. charge — a price
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fan — to cool the air

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