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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. snap — to click
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. root — of a word
  10. club — for dancing
  11. prune — to trim
  12. club — a group
  13. root — the cause
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. charge — electricity
  20. club — for golf
  21. charge — a price
  22. root — of a plant
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. march — the month

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