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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — the cause
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. swing — in golf
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. swing — to play on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. charge — in control
  19. root — of a word
  20. suit — clothes
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wake — a trail
  24. tube — a container

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