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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 the members were all out of tune.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — the cause
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. charge — a price
  6. present — a gift
  7. land — ground
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — a city
  13. land — a country
  14. charge — electricity
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. land — to come down
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. capital — money
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — in control
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. root — of a word

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