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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. face — part of the head
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. spell — letters
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — steady
  15. root — of a word
  16. face — to point toward
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spell — magic
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — decided
  23. face — to confront
  24. spell — a short time

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