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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. branch — a division
  3. root — the cause
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. root — of a word
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — a price
  24. deal — to handle

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