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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a dance
  5. land — ground
  6. charge — a price
  7. cap — a lid
  8. charge — in control
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ball — a great time
  14. land — to come down
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — a hat
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cap — of ice
  20. land — a country
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — a gift

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