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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — a trace
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a plant
  7. scale — size or range
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. scale — in music
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. content — happy
  15. root — of a word
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — the amount
  18. root — the cause
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a grade
  24. content — videos and posts

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