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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — a price
  3. rest — a break
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — in control
  9. root — the cause
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. charge — electricity
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bay — a horse colour

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