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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pitch — completely
  3. branch — a division
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. root — the cause
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. firm — a company
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. charge — electricity
  21. root — of a plant
  22. charge — in control
  23. rush — hurry
  24. charge — a price

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