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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a word
  7. land — a country
  8. root — the cause
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitch — completely
  12. file — a document
  13. charge — a price
  14. land — to come down
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. land — ground
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ground — crushed
  22. tube — a container
  23. ground — the earth
  24. tube — in a tire

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