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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 120 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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cold — an illness
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cell — a phone
  19. charge — in control
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cold — not warm
  22. capital — a city
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cabinet — ministers

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