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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. root — the cause
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. band — a music group
  11. hand — in cards
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. charge — a price
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a ring
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. spell — a short time

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