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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. root — of a plant
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — electricity
  8. root — the cause
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. charge — in control
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — a price

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