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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tube — the underground
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. root — of a word
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cap — a hat
  13. charge — in control
  14. fine — all right
  15. cap — a lid
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — a container
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — a price
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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