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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. root — of a plant
  3. charge — in control
  4. bulb — for light
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — the amount
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. content — happy
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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