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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. mate — a partner
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mate — a friend
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. shower — rain
  8. root — of a word
  9. dip — to sink
  10. charge — electricity
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. charge — in control
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fine — all right
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. shower — to wash
  22. root — of a plant
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fine — a penalty

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