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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — a price
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — a position
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. root — the cause
  14. cap — a lid
  15. root — of a word
  16. cap — a hat
  17. content — the amount
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cap — of ice
  20. content — happy
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. charge — in control

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