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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — of a word
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. root — the cause
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — letters
  24. craft — boats

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