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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. board — to get on
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. board — a committee
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cell — a phone
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. charge — in control
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cell — in biology
  23. mark — a trace
  24. foot — the bottom

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