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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. root — the cause
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pop — to visit
  10. root — of a plant
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pop — soda
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. kick — in football
  18. root — of a word
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — a price
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pop — music
  24. ground — a position

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