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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 116 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. root — of a plant
  3. game — a match
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. charge — in control
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lean — thin
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. game — wild animals
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — a division
  18. rock — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. root — the cause
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. root — of a word
  24. charge — a price

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