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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a path
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. track — a song
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. root — the cause
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. saw — the tool
  24. track — to keep track

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