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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. present — a gift
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. root — of a word
  11. charge — a price
  12. march — music
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. march — the month
  16. present — there
  17. firm — steady
  18. march — the month
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. present — the time now

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