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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. root — the cause
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. drill — army training
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. race — the arms race

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