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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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Word bank
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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. root — of a word
  8. key — for a lock
  9. charge — in control
  10. pit — in a race
  11. key — in music
  12. cold — not warm
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. roll — a list
  16. key — the most important part
  17. squash — the sport
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cold — an illness
  20. pit — a hole
  21. charge — electricity
  22. roll — a cake
  23. squash — to crush
  24. fan — a supporter

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