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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. object — to protest
  3. charge — electricity
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. file — a line of people
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. file — a tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pit — a hole
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — rain
  18. charge — a price
  19. shower — to wash
  20. object — an aim
  21. ball — a dance
  22. root — of a word
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — a thing

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