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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pit — a hole
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. capital — money
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. charge — in control
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. root — the cause
  20. charge — a price
  21. capital — a city
  22. lean — thin
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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