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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. charge — a price
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. last — to go on
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. root — of a word
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pound — a weight
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. root — the cause
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. foot — part of the body

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