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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. track — a song
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — a price
  13. track — a path
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mark — a grade
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. root — the cause
  18. track — to keep track
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. key — in music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mark — a trace
  23. charge — electricity
  24. temple — a place of worship

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