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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — the cause
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. suit — to fit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — a price
  9. suit — in cards
  10. root — of a word
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rock — a stone
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rock — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cold — an illness

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