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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. march — the month
  4. root — the cause
  5. charge — in control
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. march — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. march — the month
  10. root — of a plant
  11. current — of water
  12. foot — a measure
  13. root — of a word
  14. charge — a price
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — electric
  18. lean — to bend
  19. capital — a city
  20. bank — of a river
  21. charge — electricity
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — money
  24. current — happening now

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