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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — the cause
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. board — to get on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. charge — in control
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bark — to shout
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. charge — a price
  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