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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. pit — a hole
  3. root — of a plant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. band — a music group
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. root — the cause
  12. pit — in a race
  13. charge — a price
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ground — a position
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mouse — for a computer

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