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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — in control
  3. club — for golf
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — magic
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cap — of ice
  11. march — the month
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. march — the month
  19. cap — a lid
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — a law
  22. charge — electricity
  23. march — music
  24. root — the cause

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