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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rest — a break
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bank — for money
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to click
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. root — of a word
  22. pitch — completely
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — the cause

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