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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. charge — a price
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wake — a trail
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bank — for money
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. root — the cause
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cell — a phone
  17. charge — in control
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cell — in biology
  22. root — of a word
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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