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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. current — happening now
  3. root — the cause
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. current — electric
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. game — a match
  11. current — of water
  12. root — of a word
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. charge — electricity
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. root — of a plant

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