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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. root — the cause
  6. charge — a price
  7. craft — a skill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — a city
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. season — in sport
  12. wound — an injury
  13. root — of a plant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — in control
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wound — an injury
  20. root — of a word
  21. charge — electricity
  22. capital — money
  23. lean — thin
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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