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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — of a word
  3. mine — for digging
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cap — of ice
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. board — a committee
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. land — a country
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. charge — in control
  22. land — ground
  23. board — to get on
  24. land — to come down

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