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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wake — a trail
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. dip — to sink
  6. charge — electricity
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. root — of a plant
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. root — the cause
  14. swing — music
  15. spell — magic
  16. charge — a price
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spell — letters
  20. root — of a word
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. dip — a sauce

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