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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — a price
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. branch — a division
  9. spring — a coil
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. spring — of water
  14. charge — in control
  15. root — of a word
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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