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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — electricity
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. charge — a price
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. craft — a skill
  9. dip — to sink
  10. charge — in control
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — bread
  19. root — the cause
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stand — to bear
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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