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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. root — the cause
  3. pound — a weight
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — in biology
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. row — a line
  13. charge — in control
  14. fork — in a road
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cell — a phone
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. root — of a plant
  21. row — to paddle
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. row — a quarrel

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