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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — of a word
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — a song
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. track — to keep track
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. charge — in control
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. stock — shares
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. track — a path
  22. root — of a plant
  23. date — the fruit
  24. stock — goods

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