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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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. charge — electricity
  4. root — the cause
  5. march — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — a series
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. march — the month
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rash — hasty
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. charge — in control
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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