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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — the cause
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — of a word
  6. spell — letters
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. sharp — clever
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — magic
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. saw — the tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — a trail
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. charge — electricity
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rock — a stone

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