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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — of law
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a word
  7. court — for sport
  8. club — for dancing
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — a group
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. charge — a price
  16. rash — a series
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. club — for golf
  19. rash — hasty
  20. court — of a king
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — to hit hard

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