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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — a trace
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. march — the month
  6. roll — a cake
  7. root — the cause
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. march — music
  10. roll — a list
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. march — the month
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a word
  15. charge — electricity
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. present — there
  20. charge — a price
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fall — the season
  24. charge — in control

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