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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — of a word
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ground — crushed
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. charge — a price
  10. ground — a position
  11. root — of a plant
  12. charge — electricity
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lean — thin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lean — to bend
  17. present — there
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — the cause
  22. ground — the earth
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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