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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bat — the animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. root — the cause
  12. mug — to rob
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. root — of a word
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mug — a face

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