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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 124 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. root — of a word
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — a trace
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cap — a lid
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. squash — to crush
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — a hat
  16. squash — the sport
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. ball — a round shape

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