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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. charge — a price
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mate — a partner
  6. snap — to click
  7. mate — a friend
  8. root — of a word
  9. court — of a king
  10. charge — electricity
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. root — the cause
  13. pass — a permit
  14. charge — in control
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rock — to move gently

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