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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. root — of a plant
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. clip — to cut
  7. drill — the tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. root — of a word
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. clip — a video
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — in cards
  18. charge — in control
  19. suit — to fit
  20. charge — a price
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — to get on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. board — a flat piece

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