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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. charge — in control
  3. root — of a word
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — to protest
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. object — an aim
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — the cause
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pitch — a sports field

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