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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. root — of a plant
  3. staff — employees
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. root — the cause
  10. rest — a break
  11. root — of a word
  12. staff — employees
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — a box
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — a stick
  20. chest — of your body
  21. charge — a price
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chest — of your body
  24. swing — music

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