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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — in control
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. root — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cold — not warm
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. key — for a lock
  15. root — of a word
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cold — an illness
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. key — in music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. hide — animal skin

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