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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. charge — in control
  5. tube — the underground
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. root — the cause
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tube — a container
  13. charge — electricity
  14. foot — a measure
  15. date — the fruit
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. roll — a list
  21. rule — a law
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. roll — a cake
  24. date — on the calendar

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