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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — a price
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. court — of a king
  12. root — of a word
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. court — of law
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — in a road
  20. face — to confront
  21. court — for sport
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. field — a subject

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