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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. roll — a list
  3. cue — a hint
  4. march — the month
  5. root — of a word
  6. march — the month
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — a price
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — for pool
  12. root — the cause
  13. rule — government
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mine — for digging
  18. charge — in control
  19. rule — a law
  20. roll — a cake
  21. march — music
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. charge — electricity
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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