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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. degree — from a university
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. charge — a price
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pound — a weight
  16. charge — in control
  17. degree — an amount
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. lash — to lash out

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