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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 124 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bore — to tire
  4. content — happy
  5. charge — a price
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. root — of a word
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cap — a hat
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — in control
  12. cap — a lid
  13. root — the cause
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — a thing
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — the amount

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