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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. squash — to crush
  4. root — of a word
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. charge — in control
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — the cause
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bore — to drill
  23. charge — a price
  24. pit — in a race

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