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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 116 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rush — hurry
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cue — for pool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. prune — to trim
  13. clip — a video
  14. root — of a word
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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