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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mine — for digging
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. charge — in control
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. root — of a word
  19. charge — a price
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cold — not warm
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rest — what's left

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