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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. root — of a word
  5. charge — electricity
  6. spring — of water
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — the cause
  10. game — wild animals
  11. spring — the season
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — a price
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a match
  22. charge — in control
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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