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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — a price
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. root — the cause
  6. current — electric
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — happening now
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. root — of a word
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — of water
  16. board — a committee
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — to get on
  19. charge — in control
  20. date — the fruit
  21. can — a tin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — to recline

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